Upon completion of the fellowship, recipients will have:
Gained state-of the-art knowledge in the research areas in which they are engaged.
Improved their expertise in research methodology, from initiation to publication, in order to enhance the critical mass of the research base of their universities and countries.
Established a support network of eye researchers as mentors and potential collaborators.
Eligibility, criteria and general guidelines
Eligible candidates will meet the following criteria:
Candidates must be citizens of a developing country. Candidates should have either an MD or PhD or equivalent professional degree and have a desire to pursue a career in teaching and research in vision and ophthalmology, whether clinical or basic, in their home countries. Graduate students in scientific areas with an interest in entering basic vision research or residents in ophthalmology who are interested in academic careers as clinician-scientists are also eligible.
Candidates cannot be studying or training outside of his/her home country at the time of his/her recommendation for the award. The candidate must be established in his/her home country and currently employed or practicing in a field related to eye and vision research.
Field of Interest
The candidate can be interested in any area of eye and vision research, whether basic or clinical research, epidemiology, public health, infectious diseases, genetics or a particular subspecialty.
Level of Research Expertise
The recipients should be from countries which are at a sufficient level of development to allow them to share the knowledge gained at the meetings with colleagues upon return. This initiative is designed to strengthen the research capacity of recipients' countries by bringing back information on potential funding opportunities, links to collaborators and instructors, and to share the latest information on good research practices.
For countries without sophisticated research programs in place, the goal is that the recipients will help to establish these and acquire the basic elements necessary for initiating understanding of carrying out research protocols, preparation of abstracts, and production of manuscripts.
It is hoped that all recipients will be able to begin to create a network of individuals whom they meet in order to further the future success of the goals of this initiative.
ARVO Members and non-members are eligible. The candidate is not expected to present at his or her initial meeting.
Prior ARVO Annual Meeting Attendance
The candidate cannot have attended an ARVO Annual Meeting in the past.
Note: The candidate should have a sufficient command of English in order to participate in the scientific program.
Eligible candidates can be recommended and submitted by the following:
- A national society or research institute
- A member of the International Chapter Affiliates Program
- An ARVO member
- A supporter of this fellowship
- A Local/regional conference
To be considered for this fellowship for 2016, please contact Lena Galperina by Dec. 1, 2015.
Following the ARVO Annual Meeting, recipients must submit a report containing information about their experiences (sessions attended, useful information, etc). A letter thanking the entity providing support, along with reimbursement form/receipts, should accompany the report. Following the Annual Meeting, the ARVO Foundation will send a survey to assess recipients' experiences. Approximately 10 months after the Annual Meeting, the ARVO Foundation will send a post-Annual Meeting survey to assess how the recipients' experiences from the meeting are being utilized in their institutions and countries.
Pairing researchers and mentors
ARVO member volunteers serve as mentors during and after the ARVO Annual Meeting. Mentors are matched based on the following criteria:
- field of interest
- country of interest
- languages spoken
- availability of time prior to and during the Annual Meeting
Mentors are also encouraged to connect with the recipient prior to the Annual Meeting.